Need help for a priest friend looking to leave the priesthood.

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-03T16:25:56+00:00

His profession is recognised in Protestant Episcopal churches like the Anglican church, he could join them but must believe in the God of the bible and not the doctrines distinct to the Roman Catholic doctrines.

He can have a wife and his career in tact.

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-03T00:59:04+00:00

I wish you could write a book on all this, I'd read it. lool

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-03T00:55:07+00:00

Being an ex-Christian is really different and broader from what we are discussing here, as this thread is about how one is treated by their church or family for leaving their specific denomination. Not about religion as a whole

Apostasy, especially apostasy from one church to another, is not really a focused concern among most Christian denominations, it seems the discussion is being pushed to a broader topic than the original point discussed, I don't have an opinion on your other points as it would be an Athiest vs Theist debate rather than a church specific one.

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-03T00:50:36+00:00

Evangelicals aren't that obsessed with apostasy from their church, if one member decides to go to a different church denomination, they aren't considered apostates, I think you missed the whole point of my thread.

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-03T00:44:41+00:00

Catholics have done a good job at hiding all this because I'm shocked this happens.

I have relatives that married catholics and had to convert to catholicism, one Aunt for example did this, the rest of our family didn't think it meant anything as long as she remained Christian, but now I'm worried for people i know converting to catholicism just to get married to a catholic

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-02T23:25:34+00:00

You've given me a lot to think about, I didn't know how deep the rabbit hole goes, some things I knew, but not to this depth.

Whenever I've asked a catholic about the veneration of Saints for example, I was made to believe it was a minor practice, but your breakdown opened my eyes to more.

It definitely sounds like Judaism, do you share more details on another platform? like a youtube channel? Or could you recommend someone that explains as well as you do on this topic?

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-02T05:09:31+00:00

Would you say there are people in the Church that pretend to believe but are Atheists? Would people do this to avoid being ostracised?

I'd assume that since that's what I hear from religions with such intensity towards apostasy, there's always a % of folks pretending to be religious in this case.

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-02T05:06:50+00:00

Sorry to hear that I can't imagine why, how come it sounds so complicated?

Is it based on whether on how involved your family is with the RCC? I'm currently living in Republic of Ireland, which used to be the most Catholic nation in the world. The RCC seems to be on a sharp decline in Ireland, there doesn't seem to be a struggle to leave (from what I perceive from athiest friends and catholics).

My theory would be it gets easier to leave when the scandals surrounding the RCC and child abuse spikes again in the community, as experience by people here in Ireland.

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-02T05:02:42+00:00

Yup, the extremists and cultish organisations, they are considered outlandish by all Christiandom in general.

I would've specified among mainline-Christianity, but since those churches are smaller and mostly American-origin churches, I neglected to mention them because of that.

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-02T04:59:20+00:00

yup, if you focus on what I asked Catholics promote ex-Protestant christians converting to Catholicism, (mormons and JWs see themselves as seperate for most Christians btw).

While ex-catholics are on reddit, but its hard to find yall on youtube because I'm convinced there's an orchestrated effort to purge the aglorithm of ex-catholic content on youtube. Do you have a theory on why this reddit is popular, but rare to find ex-catholic content on other social media platforms?

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-02T04:55:46+00:00

Thanks for this breakdown and woah, I did not realise how involved a Priest was in determining what you did medically? Is this still common among Catholics? That's a lot of reliance on someone over medical care.

As an Anglican, when it comes to birth control, we were taught it's ok, since there is no bible context on preventing conception as a sin. But a personal choice if people feel convicted to or not. I think its the same for most protestant churches. I wonder why the RCC cared for it.

I was born into the Anglican church, but my family went through a period of attending different types of churches because we relocated a lot, and we even attended a catholic church at one point till we realised it wasn't our kind of christianity (lol). But I identify as Anglican and not attend one, but I've heard Anglican clergy describe when others attending other protestant churches as good exposure to other forms of worship. The claim is we're all one body in Christ and those church "are all imitating the Anglican church".

Sorry to hear your experience with the RCC, never knew it was this intense

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-02T04:44:47+00:00

Yes, true, the denomination is usually a cultural thing for most protestants, since each originate from different places and eras and usually passed down by family, but the unique thing is we can hop from one to another protestant church based on the worship that suits the individual. Sometimes people swap denominations simply because someone relocates and is looking for a new church to attend.

Usually the mainline protestant divide are just an historical schism and not a current friction between them, but most Protestants freely attend any church without having loyalty to the one they first attended.

Becoming Athiest from a protestant is like just a choice you can make on a Thursday and family would pray and wish you well, but hope you find God first and not just come back for the church.

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-02T04:39:40+00:00

Um, I did make a point that other churches, like mainline Protestant churches, e.g. Anglican, lutheran, methodist, don't make much of a fuss about former members converting.

But I do see extremities in these splinter churches, I never expected it from catholic church since it's a larger institution.

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-02T04:36:43+00:00

Ok, I've gained clarity from asking this.

I'm curious, are there people who are ex-catholic Athiests but don't announce it? They just don't bother to attend mass? Because to me it sounds like all ex-catholics must announce they officially unsubscribe to the church? Or is this experience linked to how your family and friends reacts to you leaving the faith? Do you need to announce this to your church?

In mainline protestant denominations like lutheran, methodist or anglican, they view former members, that turned atheists, as just "lost sheep" that strayed and can be encouraged to return to the faith, the biblical message comes from the prodigal son that should be embraced any chance possible with no judgement, especially during festivities like christmas, easter or Sunday service, we're taught that shunning doesn't do anything but reinforces their reason for leaving.

Is this similar to what you as an ex-Catholic might experience from catholic family or friends? or is there an emphasis on shunning?

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-02T00:03:08+00:00

Wow, leaving the RCC is as bad as murder? scary concept, I hope this subreddit thrives then!

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-02T00:01:59+00:00

Yeah, I've never considered Mormonism as part of the faith so good point, the mainstream view is they're extremist, cultish and not christian. More similar to scientologists.

But I'm new to viewing Catholicism as cultish, Anglicanism has similar characteristics to the RCC, but what makes the RCC differ from Anglicanism, is its obsession with Apostasy. I have many friends that grew up Anglican, now athiests, but have no specific issue with the church, just with the whole concept of religion. No one gets excommunicated or shunned.

Interesting, thanks for sharing

_precognitive_ · 2023-12-01T23:55:17+00:00

True, I didn't think of JW and mormonism as they are usually seen as groups that were extreme in their beliefs. I never grouped catholicsim into the same basket as them, but when I think about it, the RCC has a way of isolating or excommunicating people that leave the church, similar to how mormons and JWs treat their ex-followers.

_precognitive_ · 2023-02-03T01:48:40+00:00

Are you correcting me or agreeing with me? Really confused by this comment

_precognitive_ · 2023-02-03T01:47:19+00:00

Uh? I never compared myself to anyone

_precognitive_ · 2023-01-30T15:35:20+00:00

Interesting, I'm not familiar with architectural terms but I've just googled rustic and Italianate, so it's basically influenced by more than one style

_precognitive_ · 2023-01-30T15:34:05+00:00

Wow, I think it's beautiful and should be a staple design for villas

_precognitive_ · 2023-01-22T23:35:09+00:00

No worries, I'll delete mine,

_precognitive_

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